Insulin: A hormone made by the pancreas that allows your body to use sugar (glucose) from carbohydrates in the food that you eat for energy or to store glucose for future use. Insulin helps keeps your blood sugar level from getting too high or too low.

Where to begin? These top 10 foods are in no particular order. They all have such a low glycemic level that your body doesn’t need much insulin to absorb them. Clean Cut’s goal is to keep your insulin level down so your metabolism is constantly working.

The foods you choose should have a slow absorption rate. The ones the breakdown quickly like breads and white potatoes cause a massive spike in insulin sending the message to our bodies to store it as fat. When we eat high amounts of fast carb foods (the whites, and cakes etc.) we send the wrong message to our body over and over again, leading to weight gain and a broken metabolism

Our goal is to keep our levels low and steady. Living a lifestyle like this will lead to overall better health and weight loss.

Natural fruits, veggies, proteins and fats all break down slower and in turn our insulin levels are lower.

Here are the top 10 foods that are extremely low on the glycemic index:

Onion & Garlic (full of vitamins and anti-inflammatory benefits)

Leafy Greens (our super foods)

Nuts (anti-inflammatory, good fats, low carb, high fiber)

Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower and chia, great to use instead of granolas, t add to salads and have all the fiber and good fats and nutrients we want)

Avocados (omega 3 & 6 fatty acids and amazing nutrients)

Coconut (any form, oil, meat, flakes, flour, it’s the perfect fat)

Herbs (full of flavor, minerals and vitamins and have some healing properties)

Eggs (vitamin B12, protein and Fat, cheap and easy)

Irish Butter and Cheese (keep cheese to a moderation, dairy causes the body to become acidic and inflamed, make sure it has no growth hormones in it)

Puree all ingredients except 1 diced cucumber in blender till smooth. May add additional water at end to thin slightly. Stir in diced cucumber stirring after transferring to bowl. Add some mint leaves for taste and garnish.

Lori and Caren created Clean Cut Fitness & Nutrition to help women see there is a true balance when eating clean and living life. They like wine, tequila, vodka and intermittent fasting! Their 5 kids combined are always creating havoc but they would not have it any other way. Balance is their key to success! Their “shrink your body, grow your mind” mentality will help anyone find their Ah-Ha moment and what works in their lifestyle. Join the #cleancuttribe and create your new lifestyle.

Let’s put the idea of this program being all about food aside for a minute and talk about choices. This is not about having control, that is something we can’t have all the time, it’s about CHOICES. If we have small pivots and work on them until they become second nature then move onto another pivot until that becomes second natural we will make real change. Create your pivots, small changes that will change your life.

Where does your head go when you look at your week as a whole? You have a dinner Thursday night and again on Saturday. You are aware you aren’t as strict over the weekends as you said you be, leaving you angry and having regret. Imagine having the ability to really balance your lifestyle without feeling like you are being deprived. Here is where the mindset comes in. PLAN FOR THE CRASH! Don’t just say you will take care of it tomorrow plan for it today.

We’ve all dieted down to get into that dress or bathing suit, why don’t we plan like that for our daily life? If you know Thursday night is your date night and you know you are never perfect, get out in front of it so you are ready for it. If you planned on not cheating and it goes off the rails truly undo it the next day. This is the mindset we talk about. You can’t cheat yourselves or make up excuses, your body will know.

So how do we do this? Here is an example. Last weekend Lori and I went out with our guys for drinks and bite to eat. We both knew it wasn’t going to be super clean so that day we left out all carbs and fruit and saved it for our drinks and food choices. Got our workouts in, drank all my water with Pink Himalayan salt, left out chocolate the day before, made good enough choices at dinner = success. Oh and yes I had to run and extra mile the next day to burn off those extra fries I ate! Total SUCCESS and totally worth it!

When you do cheat MAKE IT GOOD, those small useless bite of your kid’s cold chicken fingers or soggy fries aren’t worth it on any day. You can always UNDO a not planned cheat. Remember food is energy if you have plenty stored you don’t need to refill the tank, try intermittent fasting the day after, eat smaller meals with just veggies, protein and your good fats, drink lots of water, WORKOUT or workout for an extra 20 min, Get yourself back to neutral.

The clean cut way of life is like no other. Its education, its pivots, and it works. Finding what works for you may be totally different then what your bestie finds. THIS is why its a lifestyle. One you can live with! Shrink your body, grow your mind.

Much Love

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Lori and Caren created Clean Cut Fitness & Nutrition to help women see there is a true balance when eating clean and living life. They like wine, tequila, vodka and intermittent fasting! Their

5 kids combined are always creating havoc but they would not have it any other way. Balance is their key to success! Their “shrink your body, grow your mind” mentality will help anyone find their Ah-Ha moment and what works in their lifestyle. Join the #cleancuttribe and create your new lifestyle. Download your FREE 3 day menu guide here!

Kombucha…the new trendy drink that is all the rage. Is it worth the hype? If you are picking the proper one, we think so.

What is KOMBUCHA? Kombucha is a fermented fizzy tea loaded with probiotics derived from bacteria and yeast. Sounds yummy, right! 🙂

Kombucha is made from 3 main components:

Tea

Sugar

SCOBY

The SCOBY is where the magic happens. This blob of goodness got its accronium from:

Symbiotic (both pre and probiotics) Colony Of Bacteria & Yeast

When adding the scoby to the tea and sugar, it creates this high probiotic treat. Have no fear of the sugar content! It’s what feeds the scoby and the finished product actually has minimal sugar. With that being said, you will find lots of trendy kombucha bottles out there with added sugars and flavors. Try and stick with a kombucha with minimally added sugars. When we make our own, we sometimes add lemon, ginger or cayenne.

After fermentation, about 7-10 days, kombucha becomes carbonated and contains vinegar, B vitamins, enzymes, probiotics and a high concentration of healthy acids. The probiotic bacteria are known as “cellulose-producing bacteria.” That means the bacteria produces cellulose, which acts as a shield to cells. DISEASE PREVENTION!

DIGESTION! Lots of healthy probiotics equal a healthy gut. Bacteria line your digestive tract and help support your immune system. When your gut is healthy, nutrients are absorbed as they should be. This will help fight off infection and illness. Did you know 80% of your immune system is located in your gut? Healthy gut, healthy immune system, CLEAN CUT LIFE!

Disease Prevention: kombucha helps reduce inflammation at the root of disease. Creating stronger cells, decreases the risk of disease penetrating. Some studies have shown kombucha may possibly reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Healthy Gut: With the high level of amazing probiotics, kombucha is candida’s enemy. While getting rid of candida can be tricky, this drink can help cut it down and create a healthy gut.

Possibly Improve Mental Health: Kombucha is super high in B vitamins, specifically B12 which has shown to improve brain function, energy levels and overall well being.

Helps Maintain A Healthy Liver: Since the liver helps to filter and convert harmful compounds, it’s a vital component in digestion and overall health.

Want to learn more, watch the video below on how to make your own kombucha. Don’t be scared! When you brew from scratch, you know exactly what is in it. Read those labels on your store bought kombucha and be wise to your drink.

Healthy gut, healthy life!

Drink Up!

About The Authors:

Lori and Caren created Clean Cut Fitness & Nutrition to help women see there is a true balance when eating clean and living life. They like wine, tequila, vodka and intermittent fasting! Their

5 kids combined are always creating havoc but they would not have it any other way. Balance is their key to success! Their “shrink your body, grow your mind” mentality will help anyone find their Ah-Ha moment and what works in their lifestyle. Join the #cleancuttribe and create your new lifestyle. Download your FREE 3 day menu guide here!

Magnesium has the ability to relax your muscles and nerves. Ever get a leg cramp, eye twitch, racing heart, constipation or insomnia? You are probably missing magnesium.

What does magnesium do? It aids in regulating muscle and nerve function, levels out our blood sugar and pressure, makes protein and builds strong bones.

This super mineral found in green leafy vegetables, dark chocolate, flax, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, dried herbs, beans and lentils, brown rice, avocados, almonds, yogurt and bananas (to list a few) contains this super mineral that seems to cure most of the population’s chronic ailments. See chart below for a list of the top 46 out of almost 100 symptoms.

According to Dr. Carolyn Dean, 80% of the US population is magnesium deficient. With that statistic, I would say most of us are walking around missing this crucial mineral. Even if we eat most of the foods listed above and if the farmers don’t add magnesium to their soil these foods themselves are deficient, leading us to use an over-the-counter supplement to ensure we are getting the correct amount daily.

WHAT IS MAGNESIUM GOOD FOR AND WHAT ARE THE DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS?

Below is a list of forty-six conditions that you may experience if you are low on magnesium:

Acid reflux

Adrenal fatigue

Alzheimer’s disease

Anger

Angina

Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Arthritis

Asthma

Atherosclerosis with calcium deposits.

Blood Clots

Bowel issue or disease

Brain dysfunction

Cold extremities

Cholesterol elevation

Confusion

Cystitis

Depression

Detoxification

Diabetes

Fatigue

Fibromyalgia

Food cravings (sweet, salt, carbs)

Headaches

Heart disease

Hypertension

Hypoglycemia

Indigestion

Inflammation

Insomnia

Irritable bowel syndrome

Kidney disease

Kidney stones

Migraines

Muscle cramps or spasm

Muscle twitching or weakness

Musculoskeletal conditions

Nerve problems

Obstetrical and gynecological problems

Osteoporosis

Parkinson’s disease

Paranoia

Raynaud’s syndrome

Restlessness

Shortness of breath

Sports injuries

Tooth Decay

Source: Dean, The Magnesium Miracle, 3rd ed. (2014)

What type of magnesium should you take? There are many types of magnesium and they all work, but the top two that provide the highest amount of absorption are Magnesium Glycinate which is best for those trying to correct their deficiency. The other is Magnesium oxide or citrate. These have a 60% absorption and a stool softening property. If you take too much of any magnesium your body has the ability to ride it, usually causing diarrhea and not allowing you to overdose on it.

How much is the correct daily dose? This answer varies on how deficient you are, how active you are, if you are on any medication and your current diet. As a rule, a male or female 19 year or older should start with 400 mg daily. If you don’t have any immediate effects, like sleeping better or less leg cramps – up your dose to 600 mg daily and so on. Some people take as much at 1200 mg daily. You will know if you have taken too much… if it causes diarrhea.

When should you take it? Again, this depends on how you tolerate it. Before bed is always a good time to start because, as mentioned, it relaxes you and helps for a better night’s sleep. You can also take it in a powder form (known as CALM) and sip on it throughout the day or take a shot at night. If you find you like 2-3 doses spread throughout the day – that also works.

Our bodies have a system called ATP. This is how we create energy. ATP has a cycle known as the KREB cycle. Magnesium is responsible for 6 of the 9 steps in this system. If knowing that small piece of info doesn’t make you question how important magnesium is for us – I’m not sure what will… except maybe giving it a try and seeing how much better you will feel overall.